weasel

/ˈwizəl/

/ˈwizəl/

Other forms: weasels

A weasel is a sneaky and sly person. Your weasel of a friend has a habit of "forgetting" his wallet every time he goes out to dinner with you.

You can call someone who cheats and lies a weasel, or you can use the word literally, to refer to the small furry mammal called a weasel. The furry kind of weasel is known for its short legs, long neck, and musky smell. In fact, the word's Proto-Germanic origin wisand carries the meaning of a stinky animal. The verb weasel means to sneak or evade, like when you weasel out of doing the dishes.

Definitions of weasel

1. noun

   small carnivorous mammal with short legs and elongated body and neck
   types:

   Mustela erminea, ermine, shorttail weasel

   mustelid of northern hemisphere in its white winter coat

   Mustela rixosa, New World least weasel

   of Canada and northeastern United States

   Mustela nivalis, Old World least weasel

   of Europe

   Mustela frenata, long-tailed weasel, longtail weasel

   the common American weasel distinguished by large size and black-tipped tail

   muishond

   southern African weasel

   stoat

   the ermine in its brown summer coat with black-tipped tail

   Poecilogale albinucha, snake muishond

   small slender burrowing muishond with white top of the head

   Ictonyx striata, striped muishond

   ferret-sized muishond often tamed

   Ictonyx frenata, zoril

   muishond of northern Africa

   type of:

   mustelid, musteline, musteline mammal

   fissiped fur-bearing carnivorous mammals
2. noun

   a person who is regarded as treacherous or sneaky
   type of:

   individual, mortal, person, somebody, someone, soul

   a human being